Virtual Swim Activities

AT HOME SWIM ACTIVITIES

Swim Lessons

Activities for your Babies!

Many parents believe that their kids swimming lessons begin with their child’s first time in a pool, but this is a common misconception. The truth is that swim instruction can begin as soon as your child’s first bath, and there are some fun, easy tips that you can try with your child in the bathtub which will promote bonding as well as help your child develop comfort and confidence in the water. You can continue to practice these activities with your child at bath time once they start swim lessons in order to expand on the skills they learn in the pool and help them further their learning.

Put on your suit and theirs and get into a clean water bathtub, Use a cup to pour water on their toes, knees, tummy, arms, chin and head.  Remember, This is the way we wash our toes, knees, tummy, arms and head.. Have your baby lay on your tummy while they are in the water for a back float, 1, 2, 3 wake up!  Or even Twinkle twinkle little star.

Activities for your Toddler
Bathtime:

• Bring in some cups for you kids to play with.
• Together you can sing the washing song “this is the way we wash our toes, knees, arms, chin, head, etc” pouring water on themselves.
• Children can blow bubbles in a cup or even lay on the bottom of the tub to put their faces in the water.
• Children practice back floats, do 3 secs, 5 secs, 10 secs, they just need to hold their tummies up. They can even lay on their backs and sing Twinkle Twinkle little star.

Dryland:

• Children can even practice jumping into a pool, by placing a hula hoop on the ground outside and have them jump inside it.
• Children can use the couch to practice their big arms.  Hold out your arms touching the couch straight out and take turns moving their arms down to their hip and back to the couch.  They can walk around the house practicing their big arms.
• Children can lay on their backs and practice their back floats like a starfish or a pencil.
• They can also practice kicking their feet on their front and back as they would in the pool pointed toes and no bend in their knees.

Preschool Swim Basics and Strokes

BathTime: 

• Have children put on their goggles.
• Children can look for coins at the bottom of the tub, once they put their face in the water, they can pick up the coin. 
• Practice your back floats, blowing bubbles for breath control

Dryland 

• Children can use a step stole a solid box to practice all the different strokes that they know.  This will also help balance and the side breathing, as the child can hold one arm up like superman and the other by their waist with their head tilted. 
• Children can work their way across the living room as a worm to work on their butterfly kick.
• Children can bob for apples,  create a small bucket and have kids bob for the apple, getting their face wet
   
• Seated flutter kicking

1. Sit on the edge of the bed
2. Lean back on your elbows
3. Extend your legs straight out with your toes pointed. Should be a straight line from your hip to your toes.
4. Keeping your legs straight practice kicking like you would in the pool. Swimmers should be lifting their ENTIRE LEG up and down. Not just bending their legs at the knee. Keep the core tight.

• Seated Breaststroke kicking

1. Sit on the edge of the bed
2. Lean back on your elbows
3. Extend your legs straight out with your feet flexed up. Toes should be pointing to the ceiling.
4. Pull your heels straight back until they touch the mattress.
5. Turn your toes out to the side and start to bring your legs apart. Feet should be wider than your knees.
6. SNAP your feet together in a circle
7. The motion should start and finish with legs straight out in front of and squeezing together.